“We are pleased that now we will put the full power of the web in even more people’s hands.

“With a great potential user base, we know that even more developers around the world will create their apps with new APIs to stimulate an inspiring new wave of innovation.”

He added that the device was ideal for consumers looking to upgrade to a smartphone for the first time.

While the phone’s low price and open platforms may give it an advantage in some areas of the market place, it remains to be seen whether it is capable of taking on the iOS, Android and Microsoft operating systems.

Mozilla posted revenues of $121m in 2011, compared with a combined total of $200bn for the top three operating systems providers.

The Open Firefox OS has already been launched in Spain, Venezuela and Colombia on the Telefónica network.

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Firefox OS smartphone to launch in the UK

A budget smartphone running the Firefox operating system will soon launch in the UK and the US, setting the stage for a David-and-Golliath battle with Apple and Google.

ZTE, the Chinese telecommunications company which is producing the phone, said it would be sold via eBay.

Mozilla, the non-profit organisation behind the open-source Firefox web browser, announced it would be developing a mobile operating system earlier in the year.

The new device, The Open, will retail for £59.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US. It will come unlocked and is completely web-based, so users do not need to download and install apps.

And ZTE, the Chinese telecommunications company which is producing the phone, said the Open Firefox OS would be available via the company’s eBay stores, bypassing carriers.

In terms of specs, The One will come with a 3.5-inch screen, 1GHz processor, 3.2-megapixel camera and 512MB of integrated storage.

“Mozilla is dedicated to moving the Web forward as a platform for innovation and building products that people love," said Dr. Li Gong, a vice president at Mozilla.

“We are pleased that now we will put the full power of the web in even more people’s hands.

“With a great potential user base, we know that even more developers around the world will create their apps with new APIs to stimulate an inspiring new wave of innovation.”

He added that the device was ideal for consumers looking to upgrade to a smartphone for the first time.

While the phone’s low price and open platforms may give it an advantage in some areas of the market place, it remains to be seen whether it is capable of taking on the iOS, Android and Microsoft operating systems.

Mozilla posted revenues of $121m in 2011, compared with a combined total of $200bn for the top three operating systems providers.

The Open Firefox OS has already been launched in Spain, Venezuela and Colombia on the Telefónica network.